UK to evaluate mental health of transgender minors – media
According to The Telegraph, all children referred to a gender clinic will undergo autism screenings as part of a new initiative by the British National Health Service (NHS). The newly observed NHS guidelines stipulate that every child identifying...
TroibNews 
According to The Telegraph, all children referred to a gender clinic will undergo autism screenings as part of a new initiative by the British National Health Service (NHS).
The newly observed NHS guidelines stipulate that every child identifying as transgender will be assessed for a range of conditions, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism, learning disabilities, and various mental health issues that may be contributing to their distress.
The report states, “Given the high prevalence of neurodiversity identified within this population, all those attending the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service should receive screening for neurodevelopmental conditions.”
A multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, including doctors and psychologists, will evaluate eight critical aspects of a child’s life, covering their sexual orientation, family dynamics, and comprehensive medical history.
These guidelines emerge following a review conducted by Hilary Cass, a retired consultant pediatrician and former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. The review highlighted the need to approach distressed children as “whole people” rather than merely focusing on their gender identity.
The report notes that Cass emphasized the importance of addressing “ordinary” issues such as depression and autism for children who identify as transgender. She also connected the increasing number of teenage girls facing gender identity concerns to instances of “undiagnosed autism, which is often missed in adolescent girls.”
The article mentions a significant rise in the conditions of autism and gender confusion in the UK over recent years. It cites that recorded instances of gender-related distress among individuals under 18 surged from 0.14 per 10,000 in 2011 to 4.4 per 10,000 in 2021, predominantly among adolescent girls.
During the same timeframe, autism diagnoses have grown dramatically, with estimates suggesting that one in 34 children aged 10 to 14 were affected by 2018, a significant increase from about one in 2,500 in earlier decades.
The NHS guidance also noted a past “reluctance to explore or address” mental health conditions in young people, stemming from the fact that gender dysphoria was not classified as a mental health condition. It stressed that “identifying and treating” any mental health issues should now be an “integrated part” of their care.
This new guidance arrives on the heels of a UK Supreme Court ruling earlier this month, which defined “woman” based on biological sex rather than gender identity. Consequently, transgender individuals born male will not be legally recognized as women with regard to single-sex protections.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
The newly observed NHS guidelines stipulate that every child identifying as transgender will be assessed for a range of conditions, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism, learning disabilities, and various mental health issues that may be contributing to their distress.
The report states, “Given the high prevalence of neurodiversity identified within this population, all those attending the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service should receive screening for neurodevelopmental conditions.”
A multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, including doctors and psychologists, will evaluate eight critical aspects of a child’s life, covering their sexual orientation, family dynamics, and comprehensive medical history.
These guidelines emerge following a review conducted by Hilary Cass, a retired consultant pediatrician and former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. The review highlighted the need to approach distressed children as “whole people” rather than merely focusing on their gender identity.
The report notes that Cass emphasized the importance of addressing “ordinary” issues such as depression and autism for children who identify as transgender. She also connected the increasing number of teenage girls facing gender identity concerns to instances of “undiagnosed autism, which is often missed in adolescent girls.”
The article mentions a significant rise in the conditions of autism and gender confusion in the UK over recent years. It cites that recorded instances of gender-related distress among individuals under 18 surged from 0.14 per 10,000 in 2011 to 4.4 per 10,000 in 2021, predominantly among adolescent girls.
During the same timeframe, autism diagnoses have grown dramatically, with estimates suggesting that one in 34 children aged 10 to 14 were affected by 2018, a significant increase from about one in 2,500 in earlier decades.
The NHS guidance also noted a past “reluctance to explore or address” mental health conditions in young people, stemming from the fact that gender dysphoria was not classified as a mental health condition. It stressed that “identifying and treating” any mental health issues should now be an “integrated part” of their care.
This new guidance arrives on the heels of a UK Supreme Court ruling earlier this month, which defined “woman” based on biological sex rather than gender identity. Consequently, transgender individuals born male will not be legally recognized as women with regard to single-sex protections.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
